Knife grinding and honing machine

ABSTRACT

A pair of generally parallel shafts are supported from a base for simultaneous and equal inverse lateral shifting toward and away from each other and the shafts each include a plurality of grinding wheels mounted thereon for rotation therewith. The grinding wheels of one shaft may be overlapped in relation to the grinding wheels of the other shaft as the shafts are shifted toward each other and spring structure is provided and yieldingly urges the shafts toward each other. Adjustable abutment structure is provided for limiting movement of one of the shafts toward the other and a rotary motor is drivingly connected to the shafts for equally rotating the latter in opposite directions.

United States Patent [191 111 3,811,226 Gangelhoff et al. v May 21, 1974 [54] KNIFE GRINDING AND HONING MACHINE 2,617,235 11/1952 Lindahl 51/80 R [76] Inventors: i' ig gg g fg hfig A Primary Examiner-Othell M. Simpson Bey 19 L Attognei Agent, or Firm-Clarence A. O'Brien; Har- Clearwater, both of Fla. 33516 vey [22] Filed: Dec. 19, 1972 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 316,554 A pair of generally parallel shafts are supported from a base for simultaneous and equal inverse lateral shifting toward and away from each other and the shafts each include a plurality of grinding wheels mounted [58] Fi d RA 81 110 165 thereon for rotation therewith. The grinding wheels of e 3 one shaft may be overlapped in relation to the grinding wheels of the other shaft as the shafts are shifted toward each other and spring structure is provided [56] References Cited and yieldingly urges the shafts toward each other. Ad- UNITED STATES PATENTS justable abutment structure is provided for limiting 631.842 8/1899 Worden 5 [I80 R movement of one of the shafts toward the other and a g --5 l; rotary motor is drivingly connected to the shafts for ar 0X.. 2,228,385 W94! Bumsw u 5W0 R equally rotating the latter in opposite directions. 2,482,633 9/1949 Nichols 51/80 R 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures I I 84 6 /a {m l 76 I 6 %20 a2 \\\\,"L \\\fi\\\ HH"| /0 r i I i I 1 i immy/1 V fl \1 ,2 I6 I l /r i PATENTEB m 21 m4 sum 1 Bf 2 Fig. 2

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KNIFE GRINDING AND HONING MACHINE The knife grinding and honing machine of the instant invention has been specifically designed to provide a means by which a precise sharpened edge may be formed on a cutting blade. The knife grinding and honing machine is constructed in a manner whereby sufficient support for the blade being sharpened is provided so that the blade will be properly guided while it is shifted longitudinally relative to the rotating grinding wheel of the machine. In this manner, even unexperienced persons may obtain the desired sharpened edge on a blade.

The main object of this invention is to provide a grinding and honing apparatus which may be utilized to sharpen substantially all types of blade instruments including knives, hatchets, axes and other straight bladed cutting instruments.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which will be capable of forming a specific bevel on each side of the blade to be sharpened and which may be adjusted to vary the angle of the bevel.

It is also another object of this invention to provide a sharpening apparatus which will be capable of forming a hollow ground cutting edge on a cutting blade.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide a sharpening device which will itself provide the majority of support and guidance for the blade being sharpened.

An ancillary object of this invention is to provide a blade sharpening apparatus which may be effectively adjusted so as to enable the grinding of the blade behind the cutting edge thereof.

Another very important object of this invention is to provide a blade sharpening apparatus utilizing overlapped grinding wheels and which will automatically compensate for slight irregularities in the grinding wheels.

A further object of this invention is to provide a blade sharpening apparatus which will be capable of forming the same level on each side of the cutting edge being formed.

Yet another important object of this invention is to provide a blade sharpening apparatuswhich may be adjusted during its operation so as to vary the bevel of the cutting edge being formed.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a blade sharpening apparatus in accordance with the preceding objects and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the knife grinding and honing machine of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the assemblage illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the knife grinding and honing machine of the instant invention. The machine 10 includes a base 12 from which a mount 14 is supported. The mount 14 is secured to the base 12 by means of fasteners 16 and a pair of pivot shafts l8 and 20 are oscillatably supported from the mount 14 for angular displacement about generally parallel axes. The shafts l8 and 20 have a pair of swing support arms 22 and 24 supported therefrom and the arms 22 and 24 have sector gears 26 and 28 mounted thereon and meshed with each other. The arms 30 and 32 of a butterfly spring 34 are secured to the arms 22 and 24 by means of fasteners 36 and 38 and the butterfly spring 34 urges the upper free ends of the swing support arms 22 and 24 toward each other. Y

A pair of spindle shafts 42 and 44 are journaled from the free ends of the arms 22 and 24 and the rear ends of the spindles 42 and 44 have a pair of gear wheels 46 and 48 mounted thereon for rotation therewith. In addition, a pair of parallel intermediate shafts 50 and 52 are journaled from the mount 14 and have intermediate gear wheels 56 and 58 mounted thereon and meshed with each other. In addition, the wheels 56 and 58 are meshed with the wheels 46 and 48.

The mount 14 includes an upstanding shield plate 60 including an upwardly opening notch 62 and a pair of upwardly convergent openings 66 and 68 formed therein through which the forward end portions of the shafts 42 and 44 project. The forward ends of the shafts 42 and 44, disposed forwardly of the plate 60, include pairs of axially spaced grinding wheels 72 and 74 and it may be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings that the wheel 72 may be overlapped relative to the wheel 74 when the shafts 42 and 44 are swung toward each other.

An upstanding abutment screw 76 has its lower threaded end threadedly engaged with the mount 14 and is provided with a hand-engageable knob 78 on its upper end. The intermediate portion of the screw 76 has an abutment 80 mounted thereon and an abutment arm 82 is secured to the arm 24 by means of the fastener 38 and includes a low friction pad 84 engageable by the abutment 80 to limit upward swinging movement of the arm 82 as viewed in FIG. 4 of the drawings so as to limit swinging movement of the upper ends of the arms 22 and 24 toward each other. Of course, as the screw 76 is threaded downward relative to the mount 14, the wheels 72 and 74 are swung away from each other and as the screw 76 is threaded upwardly relatively to the mount 14 the wheels 72 and 74 are allowed to swing toward each other under the biasing action of the butterfly spring 34.

A jackshaft 86 is journaled from a journal support 88 mounted on the mount 14 and the front end of the jackshaft 86 has a drive gear wheel 90 mounted thereon for rotation therewith and meshed with the wheel 58. The rear end of the jackshaft 86 has a large diameter pulley 92 mounted thereon and the output shaft 94 of an electric motor 96 has a small diameter pulley wheel 98 mounted thereon in alignment with the pulley wheel 92. An endless flexible belt 100 is trained about the pulley wheels 98 and 92 so as to drivingly connect the former to the latter.

The electric motor 96 includes a base plate 102 secured to the base 12 by means of fasteners 104 secured through transverse slots 106 formed in the mounting plate 102. ln addition, the electric motor 96 has a voltage controlling unit 108 operatively associated therewith. The unit 108 is supported from the base 12 and includes an on-off switch 110 as well as a variable voltage control 112 whereby operation of the motor 96 may be initiated by the switch 110 and the speed of rotation of the shaft 94 may be controlled by the control 112. Of course, suitable wiring is provided with the voltage control and on-off switch serially connected therein.

When it is desired to sharpen a blade, the arm 82 may be positioned as illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings to cause the grinding wheels 72 and 74 to overlap in the manner illustrated in FIGS. '1 and 3 of the drawings. Then, the switch 110 and control 112 may beactuated in order to drive the spindles 42 and 44 at the desired speed. Thereafter, the blade to be sharpened may be introduced downwardly through the slot 62 and engaged with the wheels 72 and 74 while the blade is being moved longitudinally relative to the wheels 72 and 74. If the bevel onthe blade to be sharpened is to be smaller, the knob 78 may be turned to thread the screw 76 downwardly so as to swing the spindles 42 and 44 slightly further apart and reduce the overlap of the wheels 72 and 74. Conversely, if the bevel is to be greater, the knob 78 may be turned so as to raise the screw 76 and thereby increasethe overlap of the 7 wheels 72 and 74.

If, after being used for some time, the wheels 72 and 74 become slightly out of round, inasmuch as the free ends of the arms 22 and 24 are free to move away from each other against the biasing action of the butterfly spring 34, slight irregularities of the wheels 72 and 74 may be compensated for. In addition, inasmuch as the 'arms 22 and 24 are geared together for simultaneous swinging toward and away from each other, the movement of one pair of wheels away from the blade being sharpened due to irregularities in those wheels will also cause movement of the other wheels away from the wet grinding operations; Further, shields may be provided for all but the adjacent marginal portions of the grinding wheels 72 and 74 if desired. Such shields may be supported from the arms 22 and 24 and include mounting portions swingable through the slots 66 and When the wheels are overlapped an adverse angle is obtained for truing the edge of a blade to be sharpened. Also, suitable shields (not shown) may be provided and carried by the shafts 42 and 44 for effectively closing the openings 66 and 68 against grinding wheel particles and lubricant splash passing through the openings 66 and 68.

The variable speed motor 96 will of course be set at slow speed operation during wet grinding operations to reduce the possibility of splashing the liquid lubricant being used and a suitable sheet metal covering (not shown) may be provided and supported from the shield plate 60 to enclose the drive mechanism exclusive of or including the pulley wheels 92 and 98 as well as the endless belt 100.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention I to the exact construction and operation shown and deblade being sharpened. This of course will maintain the and at low speeds for lapping purposes, an extremely true cutting edge may be formed on the blade being sharpened. Also, inasmuch as the free ends of the arms 22 and 24 may be swung apart sufficiently to cause the wheels 72 and 74 to move out of overlapping relation, the blade being sharpened may be ground behind the edge to be sharpened.

In addition to the preceding, it is to be noted that the grinding wheels 72 and 74 rotate in counterclockwise and clockwise direction, respectively, as viewed in FIG. 3 of the drawings so as to insure against the frictional engagement of the wheels 72-and 74 tending to pull the blade being sharpened down between the grinding wheels. Also, the grinding wheels 72 and 74 are disposed on the side of the shield plate 60 remote from the drive assembly for the shafts 42 and 44 thereby insuring that the-drive assembly will not be subject to grinding wheel dust during grinding operations or splash during scribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A knife grinding and honing machine comprising a base, two generally parallel shafts, means supporting the shafts from the base for simultaneous inverse lateral shifing toward and away from each other, means yieldingly urging said shafts toward each other, means adjustably limiting movement of at least one of said shafts toward the other, said shafts having grinding wheels mounted thereon including overlapped outer peripheral portions, and motor means drivingly connected to said shafts. I

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said shafts are oscillatable about generally parallel axes spaced to one side of a plane containing the first-mentioned axes.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means supporting the shafts for simultaneous inverse lateral shifting toward and away from each other include means enabling the shafts to be sufficiently shiftedaway from each other to cause the grinding wheels mounted thereon to move out of overlapped relation.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said shafts has a plurality of axially spaced grinding wheels mounted thereon.

S. The. combination of claim 1 wherein said motor means is drivingly connected to said shafts for rotating the latter equally in opposite directions of rotation.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein each of said shafts has a pluraality of axially spaced grinding wheels mounted thereon.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said means supporting the shafts for simultaneous inverse lateral shifting toward and away from each other include means enabling the shafts to be sufficiently shifted away from each other to cause the grinding wheels mounted thereon to move out of overlapped relation.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said shafts are means includes means for infinitely varying the speed oscillatable about generally parallel axes spaced to one of rotation of said shafts between predetermined low side of a plane containing the first-mentioned axes. and high speeds.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said motor 

1. A knife grinding and honing machine comprising a base, two generally parallel shafts, means supporting the shafts from the base for simultaneous inverse lateral shifing toward and away from each other, means yieldingly urging said shafts toward each other, means adjustably limiting movement of at least one of said shafts toward the other, said shafts having grinding wheels mounted thereon including overlapped outer peripheral portions, and motor means drivingly connected to said shafts.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said shafts are oscillatable about generally parallel axes spaced to one side of a plane containing the first-mentioned axes.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means supporting the shafts for simultaneous inverse lateral shifting toward and away from each other include means enabling the shafts to be sufficiently shifted away from each other to cause the grinding wheels mounted thereon to move out of overlapped relation.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said shafts has a plurality of axially spaced grinding wheels mounted thereon.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said motor means is drivingly connected to said shafts for rotating the latter equally in opposite directions of rotation.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein each of said shafts has a pluraality of axially spaced grinding wheels mounted thereon.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said means supporting the shafts for simultaneous inverse lateral shifting toward and away from each other include means enabling the shafts to be sufficiently shifted away from each other to cause the grinding wheels mounted thereon to move out of overlapped relation.
 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said shafts are oscillatable about generally parallel axes spaced to one side of a plane containing the first-mentioned axes.
 9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said motor means includes means for infinitely varying the speed of rotation of said shafts between predetermined low and high speeds. 